Table tray



May 11 1926.'

'R'. R. SCHEIBE ET Al. v

TABLE TRAY 2 Sheets-'Sheet Filed April 24, 1924 .Iumnl I@ ..-ill

` May 11,1926. 1,583,999 R. R. SCHEIBE El' AL TABLE TRAY Filed'April 24, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l my mn. U MW N u, MHH Mn w um 9i! w 1MM "wu 6.

Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A:RALPH n. scHETBE, or soMnRvILLn, AND HAROLD M. scHEIBE, or BELMNT,MASSA- CHUSETTS; SAID HAROLD M. SCEIBE ASSIGNOR 'ro SAID RALPH n.SCHELBE.'

TABLE TRAY.

Appllcationled April 24, 19.24. Serial No. 708,656.

'his invention relates .totrays provided with folding legs and withmechanism adapted, while the tray is held by the hands, to swing downthe legs to a position to sup port the tray or to swing them up againwhen the tray is to be supported directly on a table or other vsurfaceand our object is to devise leg'actuating mechanism in whichl thedepression of a movable part, operable while the user supports the trayIby its handles, serves to move the legs part-way from their folded to4their extended position or vice versa, and in which the finalmovementof the legs in either direction is effected by spring action.

A further object is to utilize the spring which assists the movements ofthe legs as a i' latch to lock the legs in their extended position andpreferably to arrange the manually movable part hereinbefore referred toeiiect the release of the latch.

We attain our object by means ofthe construction hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawlngs. 1n which- Fig. 1 is avertical section of a table tray vconstructed in accordance with ourinvention, one set of legs being shown extended and the other setfolded.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under side of the table tray;

Fig. 3 an enlarged sectional detail of the operating mechanism for oneof the pairs of legs, the legs being shown in the folded position;

Fig. 4 a similar view, the legs being shown inthe extended position;

Fig. 5 a similar view showing the toggle -with its centers in line; and

Fig. 6 a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modification ofy theinvention.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different figures.

1 is a top, which is preferably, though not necessarily, provided with arim 2 adapting it for.y use as a tray. -The top is also preferablyprovided with a. molding 3 forming a depending ange to which, atopposite ends ofthe device. are secured the fixed handles 4. Each pairof legs 5 are connected bya cross bar 6, each cross bar forming onemember of a toggle, the other member of the toggle being formed by alink 7 which 1s hinged on the center 8 to a spring lever 9 fulcrumed oua block 10 secured beneath the top 1. Preferably the spring is embodiedin the lever by forming the lever itself of spring steel, though we donot wish to confine ourselves to this construction.'

The central pivot between the members of each toggle is preferablyformed throughv the medium of a pin 11 carried by the link 7 and adaptedto play transversely of the length of the toggle in a slot 12 formed ina member 13 secured to the cross -bar 6. The purpose ofthe lost motionthus provided will hereinafter appear.

The cross bars 6 are connected with suitable blocks 14 secured to theunder side of the top 1 by means of the hinges 15. About the axes 16 ofthe hinge pins, the cross bar 6,' which forms the upper member of thetoggle, swings.

From the above description it is evident that the power of the spring isexerted to either fold or extend the legs according as the center of thepin 11 is at one side or the other of the line joining the pivots 16 and8, so that assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 5, itis merely necessary to push the toggle either one way or the other tofold or extend the legs. If the legs are in the position shown in Fig.3, a downward push on the spring 9 will bring the parts to the positionshown vin Fig. 5, and if exactly the right momentum is imparted to thelegs, the toggle will move past the center and the legs, by the actionof the spring, will move to the extended position, or, if the legs be inthe extended position shown in Fig. 5, by similarly depressing thespring, the parts may be brought to the position shown in Fig. 5, and ifthe movement is accurately performed, the toggle will swing past theline of centersv and the legs will be folded.

As, however, there is some difficulty eX- perienced at times inaccurately roportioning and timing the force emp oyed, it is preferableto provide operating means for swinging the toggles, which will make theoperation entirely reliable. In Figs. 43, 4 and 5 we show an operatingmember 17 which is pivotally connected with the link 7 and extends upthrough a slot 18 formed in the top, a slotted metal plate 19 beingpreferably. provided to take the Wear. This operating member is' readilydepressible to bring the parts of the toggle to the position shown inFig. 5 whether the parts originally were in the position shown in Fig. 3or the position shown in Fig. 4. If lateral pressure be applied to theupper end of the member 17, the toggle may be swung to bring the centerpivot 11-to either side of the line joining the centers 8 and 16, sothat the legs will either fold up or be extended. To facilitate theimparting of lateral pressure to the upper end of the operating member17, it is provided with a T-head 20. Pressure on the right hand side ofthe T-head, having reference to Fig. 5, tends to move the toggle to foldthe legs, while pressure on the other'side of the T-head tends to movethe toggle to extend the legs, the power being' supplied by the spring9.

It is desirable that the legs should be locked in the extendedposition.Each cross bar 6, is, for this purpose, provided with a pin 21 which,when the legs are extended, is adapted to enter a. hole 22 formed in theadjacent spring 9.

The operation -in handling the tray is as follows. Assuming the legs tobe folded as shown in Fig. 2, the device may be set on a table and usedas a tray. lVhen suitably loaded, the tray may be carried to the placewhere it is to be used. Then, with the fingers grasping the handles,downward pressure is applied to the T-heads 2O of the operating members17. This pressure, assisted by gravity, swings the toggles against theaction of the springs to the position shown in Fig. 5,. Pressure appliedto the inner ends lof the T-heads .2O of the operating members willswing each toggle past its line of centers, after which the pressure ofthe springs, assisted by gravity, brings the parts to the position shownin-Flg. 4, the pins 21 engaging in the holes 22 in the springs 9. Whenthe legs are to be folded, the tray is lifted by means of the handlesand the operating members again pressure this time being applied againstthe outer ends of the T-heads. The first result of the application ofpressure is to depress the pins 11 in the slots 12, thus disengaging thesprings from the pins 21. Further presthe pressure of sure brings theparts to the position shown in Fig. 5.. Then provided the pressure ofthe thumbs is4 exerted on the outer sides of the T heads, the togglesare swung past their'line of centers, and by the action of the springsthe legs are folded to the posltion shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and heldthere by the springs exerted through the links 7 carrying the pins 11which engage the inner ends of the slots 13.

A modification is shown in Fig. 6 in which the operating member is notprovided with a T-head, so that inward lateral pressure cannot be 'soconveniently applied to its upper end. The operating member is thus onlyeasily operable to` fold the legs,

depressed, the

after -dis- 4engaging the springs from the pins 21. To

extend the legs, we provide at each side a the molding 3. The plungerengages the end of the spring 9, and may be operated to depress thespring and to swing the toggle to and, with the assistance of the weightof the legs` beyond the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be understood,of course, that the construction of the top may be varied as desired sothat the device may be used as a table tray or as a. folding tableapplicable to various uses. v

What we claim is l. In a table tray the combination of a top; a springylever fulcrumed thereon; a toggle pivotally lconnected at one end withthe top and at its other endwith the spring lever; and legs rigidlyconnected with the part of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to beswung up and down by the op!l to be swung up and down by the operationof the toggle; and manually operable means for folding the toggle.

3. In a table tray the combination of a top; -a spring lever fulcrumedthereon; a. toggle pivotally connected at one end with the top and atits other end with the spring lever; legs rigidly connected with thepart of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to be swung up and downby the operation of the toggle; an actuating member pivotally connectedwith the toggle; and a guide on the top through which the actuatingmember is slidable to swing the toggle.

L1. In a table tray the combination of a.

top; a spring lever fulcrumed thereon; a.

toggle pivotally connected at one end with the top` and at lits otherend with the s ring lever and provided with means where y it isextensible in length; legs rigidly connected with the part of the toggleadjacent the top and adapted to be swung up and down bv the operation ofthe toggle; and manually operable means for extending the toggle and forfolding the same; and means wherebv the spring locks the legs inextended Vposit-ion, said means being releasable on the extension of thetoggle. 5. In a. table tray the combination of a top; ar spring leverfulcrumed thereon; a toggle pivotally connected at one end with the topand at its other end with the spring lever; legs ,rigidly connected withthe part of the toggle adjacent the top and adapted to be swung up anddown by the operation of the toggle; an actuating member pivotallyconnected with the toggle; a yguide on.

v`may be rocked in its guide ltoggle in either direction past its lineof ing member is shdable yextended "able on t e and -a T-head er wherebyit to swing the is slidable to swing the-toggle formed on the actuatingmem centers according as the ressure is applied to one end or the othero .the T,head.

6. In a table tray the combination of a top; a spring lever fulcrumedthereon; a toggle pvotally conne-cted at one end .with the top and atits otherend with the spring leverand provided with means whereby it isextensible in lengt-h; legs; rigidly connected `with the part of thetoggle adjacent the. top vand adapted to be swung up and down by theoperation of the `toggle; an' actuating,r

member pivotally7 connected with'fthe't-oggle;

aguide on the top through which the `actuatto swingft'lie toggle; meanswhereby the spring locks the legs in ositions, said means being releas-T-head formed on the actuating member whereby it may be rocked in itsuide to,ex

- tend the toggle and to swing t e samejin extension of the toggle; anda either directionpast its` line lof centers according as the pressureisJ applied to oneend or the other of the T-hea'd.\.

7. In a. tablev tray the combination ofl a jtop.; a spring leverI,fulcrumed thereon; a togglepivotally connected at one end with the topand at its other end with the'ispring lexfer, the middle joint of thetoggle being formed by a pin and slot connect-ion whereby the toggle isextensible in length; legs rigidly connected with the part 'of thetoggle adjacent the top and adapted to bevswulng up and down by theoperation ofthe toggle; an actua-tingmember` pivotally Connected withthe toggle; a guide on the top through whichv the actuating member isslidable to Jextend the togGlea-nd swing' the same; and means'whereb thespring locks the legs in extended positions, said means beingreleasableonthe extension of the toggle. v i

*Signed at Gambridge, Mass., this 11th clay of April, i RALPH R.SCHEIBE.

' rHAROLD M. SCHEIBE.

